Study: Older Cannabis Users Show Younger-Looking Brains and Sharper Minds

Key takeaways

1. Cannabis use among older adults may slow brain aging and is linked to brain patterns typically seen in younger people.

2. Cannabis users performed better in tasks like problem-solving, planning, memory, intelligence, and vocabulary compared to non-users.

3. Benefits were observed from middle age (45–55) through old age (66+), suggesting long-term cognitive advantages.

4. The effect may be due to improved communication between brain regions (functional network connectivity) and higher concentrations of cannabinoid receptors.

5. The study is a preprint on Research Square, meaning results are not yet peer-reviewed and require further validation.

A new study suggests that cannabis use among older adults could help slow brain aging — and may even boost cognitive abilities.

Researchers from an international team analyzed health and cognitive data from more than 25,000 UK adults, examining how cannabis use relates to brain aging and mental performance. They discovered that cannabis users displayed brain characteristics typically seen in younger individuals, along with “enhanced cognitive abilities.”

“Cannabis users exhibited superior performance across multiple cognitive domains, and interestingly, the effects of cannabis and cognition are presented concurrently across a range of brain systems,” the authors reported.

The findings, published as a preprint on Research Square, have not yet undergone peer review, meaning they could change after further scientific evaluation.

Why This Matters

While cannabis is widely known for its effects on mood, perception, and cognition, most previous research has focused on young people and adolescents. This study aimed to investigate its potential impacts on older adults — a group that’s increasingly turning to cannabis for medical and wellness purposes, thanks to legalization.

Older adults commonly use cannabis to help manage pain, insomnia, depression, and other conditions associated with aging. Since normal aging often involves a gradual decline in cognitive function, the researchers wanted to see whether cannabis use could counteract that decline.

Key Findings

When comparing cannabis users to non-users, the researchers found that cannabis users performed better in a range of cognitive tasks, including:

• Problem-solving

• Planning skills

• Numeric memory

• Intelligence tests

• Vocabulary

These benefits were observed across different age groups — starting from middle-aged adults (45–55 years) and continuing into older age (66+ years).

How Cannabis Might Boost Brain Function

The study suggests that cannabis may enhance brain performance by improving communication between different brain regions — a process called functional network connectivity (FNC).

“Our findings reveal that cannabis usage and healthy aging are associated with overlapping brain network configurations, particularly within the FNC between subcortical and sensorimotor regions, as well as between subcortical and cerebellar areas, albeit with significantly reversed effects,” the authors explained.

One reason could be that certain brain areas contain a higher density of cannabinoid receptors, making them more responsive to compounds like THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).

Looking Ahead

The researchers believe their findings could open the door to new therapeutic applications for cannabinoids and the body’s own endocannabinoids in treating neurodegenerative conditions such as:

• Multiple sclerosis

• Parkinson’s disease

• Alzheimer’s disease

• Other forms of dementia

Still, the authors caution that the study’s preprint status means more research is needed before drawing definitive conclusions.